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Acropolis Museum show on imperial China drawing to a close

The Acropolis Museum's exhibition of rare artifacts from the Forbidden City is drawing to a close next month, after a successful run of five months.

A huge portrait of the Chinese Emperor Qianlong as a young man is situated at the entrance to the exhibition “From the Forbidden City: Imperial Apartments of Qianlong.” A little ways on is a display case containing the gold-embroidered ceremonial attire that he once wore.

Before encountering this depiction of the great 18th century emperor – whose name means “Lasting Eminence” and who ruled the country with prudence and wisdom for 60 years – visitors are first treated to scenes from the Forbidden City, projected onto a giant screen in the foyer.

The exhibition forms part of the Year of Cultural Exchanges between Greece and China. As part of the effort to deepen cooperation and understanding between the two countries, the Greek museum accepted a proposal by the Palace Museum in Beijing to present 154 rare exhibits that have never before been taken out of the private imperial apartments.

These include works of art, ceremonial clothing, furniture, household items and texts from the rooms of the Palace of Many Splendors in the Forbidden City that were used by Emperor Qianlong as a young man as he prepared to ascend to the throne. These exquisite items, representative of a century of Chinese culture, were stored for many years in apartments that were not open to the public. Representatives of the Museum of the Acropolis traveled to Beijing last winter in order to see them for the first time.

The president of the Acropolis Museum, Dimitrios Pandermalis, and architect Eleni Spartsi, who leads the design of the museum's temporary exhibitions, then created the “scenography” of the exhibition, drawing inspiration directly from the Palaces of the Forbidden City.

Approximately three months of work were required for technicians and museum staff to create new spaces in the temporary exhibition halls, which now boast walls painted in the bright red of the Palaces of the Forbidden City. From the foyer the visitor is guided through a labyrinth of rooms separated by dark colored oriental room dividers.

The next thematic section exhibits the tea sets used by the emperor and his guests, poetic texts written by the emperor himself and costumes used by actors in private theatrical performances held at the palace.

These are followed by the Room of Fragrant Orchids, which displays the heated bed of the imperial couple. Visitors will then see a brocaded throne and the Emperor's study where he would spend many hours a day writing about the beauty of his country, human relationships as well as the proper exercise of royal powers. The exhibition ends with exceptional Buddhist works made with precious materials.

The show runs through February 14. For opening hours and ticket details, visit www.theacropolismuseum.gr.

This article first appeared in Greece Is (www.greece-is.com), a Kathimerini publishing initiative.